Job rejections can leave us wondering why we didn’t make the cut. Was it our skills, presentation, or something else? Well, Ash Putnam, a 23-year-old woman, recently faced this dilemma after being denied a job at TJ Maxx. Her story gained traction on TikTok, garnering over seven million views and tens of thousands of comments.
Putnam, who is covered in tattoos, couldn’t help but question how young people like her could secure entry-level jobs. In her viral TikTok video, she explained how she had applied for a job at TJ Maxx, only to receive an impersonal automated rejection email “a few weeks” later. Dissatisfied with this response, she decided to confront store employees at the location where she had applied.
During her conversation with a store employee, Putnam asked about the reason behind her rejection. She was told that other candidates had more experience. Suspecting her tattoos might have played a role, she asked specifically if they were a factor. Despite being assured it wasn’t about her tattoos, she remained skeptical.
Putnam passionately argued that having tattoos doesn’t make someone an incompetent worker. She emphasized that some of the most intelligent and capable individuals she had met sported tattoos and piercings. While she never received a straightforward answer from TJ Maxx, comments on TikTok seemed to support her suspicion that her tattoos were the issue.
In her Daily Star interview, Putnam admitted that many TikTok comments labeled her tattoos as “demonic” and “scary,” reflecting a larger negative perception. However, she believes that companies should reconsider their hiring processes and not let tattoos determine someone’s job skills or qualifications. She sees body art, piercings, and colored hair as signs of creativity and uniqueness, not unprofessionalism.
So, the question remains: should tattoos influence hiring decisions? We’d love to hear your thoughts on Facebook.
